019.2 Temperature Layers

The layers of the atmosphere are distinguished by how the temperature changes with height.

Near the Earth's surface, the Sun warms the air nearest the ground, so the temperature falls with increasing height up to about 12km. This region is called the troposphere.

At about 45km the ultraviolet light in the Sun is absorbed in the ozone layer so the temperature rises with increasing height. This region is called the stratosphere.

The temperature reaches a maximum and once again falls with increasing height in the mesosphere.

Finally, where ultraviolet light knocks electrons off atoms, there is a region where the temperature once again rises with increasing height, the ionosphere.